Eros & Thanatos
by TaintedMoonlight
Summary: Just because you don't pay much attention, doesn't mean that she doesn't shine and rust like the best and worst of us. --Collection of oneshots centered around Tenten--
1. Fear

**Eros and Thanatos**

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**_Fear_**

_(#04 -- Inner Demons)_

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**A/N: **I've decided to collect the Tenten oneshots I'll be writing for the LJ community 50 shinobi in a set. I'll have a summary for each one at the beginning of the chapter and a word count.

Oh, and the title, I chose for fun. Psychological principle. Freud's theory. Freud believed that humans had an eros and thanatos. Eros was a life instinct and thanatos was a death instinct. Eros is what propels us to seek behaviors in favor of life, while thanatos compels us to engage in risky and dangerous behaviors. Once we get closer to our death time, our body knows it and is therefore more inclined to listen to thanatos instinctual behaviors. (Maybe, I'm just the only one who thinks that's cool. :p)

The set will also not be going in any particular order.

Toodles, much love.

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**Summary:** Her biggest demon is herself.

**Word Count:** 204

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Sometimes she's afraid she's just a big scaredy-cat.

When she's actually doing her thing, in the midst of a heavy battle, the thought doesn't even occur to her. It never crosses her mind to runaway or even to scream. That is only due to the fact that her limbs are twirling, her body twisting, chest heaving, and eyes soaking up every detail that she can't spare running a second thought. Sometimes she's glad she's never been a good multi-tasker.

But when she fails, when her body is overcome with such terrible weakness and frailty that she can't fight back, she feels the fear overwhelm her. There is no physical reaction that can be seen, but the fear is drowning her and if she could run, she would.

She's a fearful creature by nature.

Most people think she's brave. They see her push and shove and fight until there's no breath in her. Neji and Lee have seen her at such weakness that she can't move, not even an inch. They think she's stupid and incredibly brave for fighting _so long _and _so hard._

What they don't realize -- what the world can't quite see -- is that she's just too scared to run away


	2. On Becoming Chuunin

**_On Becoming Chuunin  
_**

_(#41 -- Rivals)_

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**Summary:** Some relationships are hard to explain, and it's even harder to figure out where they come from.

**Word Count:**420

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It was in that moment that Tenten feared Lee had started to rub off on her. The rough and bossy Suna bitch stared at her, no lingering remorse on her expression. It probably should've disturbed Tenten that Temari didn't even bother to apologize for her last action or even garner the decency to _look _sympathetic. It simply didn't; in fact, she surmised that if the blonde tried to apologize, she might very well be tempted to hit her. Instead Tenten was satisfied with the reaction, if not pleased. The frightening thing about this for Tenten, was that Temari had beat her up horribly and instead of hating her like any normal person would, she liked her. Just like Lee liked Gaara. It also seemed Temari liked her, just like Gaara liked Lee.

Apparently beating people up (some cases to the point of near-death) was the equivalent of 'Hi, let's be friends.' in Suna speak.

"Don't fuck up this time." Temari said obnoxiously

It would've been nice for Tenten to be able to say she hated her or even wanted to beat her silly, but she found no trace of hate or lingering vengeance in her bones. Which, she supposed, had to be a good thing. She didn't want to end up like Sasuke after all…

"I'll make Chuunin, Blondie." Tenten responded haughtily.

Her lips quirk into a smirk, a _challenge_, "Only if you don't go against me."

Tenten snorted. "Shikamaru made Chuunin last time and he went against you." Tenten found herself relaxing with this fierce blonde woman.

"Any fool can get lucky." Her hands brushed blonde bangs from her eyes. "_Do_ make Chuunin." She commented seriously, "If Pinkie and the mind-swapper hack it and you don't, I'll be gravely disappointed."

Tenten scoffed. "If your brothers hack it and _you_ don't, _I'll_ consider you a disappointment to the female gender."

She smirked, "I _do_ hope I go against you again, get the chance to beat you up once more. Apparently, I didn't kick your ass well enough; you still got a smart mouth."

"Any fool can get lucky." Tenten smirked.

As they both stood smirking at each other, one coherent thought occurred to Tenten: Lee really was starting to rub off on her. Her relationship (however awkward and peculiar it might be) with Temari was starting to sound a lot like that odd 'rival' relationship Lee claimed to have with Neji.

Oh, that would be just ghastly.

But…

She smiled slowly. Somehow, she surmised it would also be very nice.


	3. Art is Murder

**_Art is Murder_**

_(#34 Puppeteer)  
_

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**Summary:** She'd never seen anything like it. And she couldn't explain why it moved her as much as it did.

**Characters: **Tenten and Kankurou

**Word Count: **850

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His middle finger dipped ever-so-slightly and pointer finger raised somewhat. The wooden thing launched forward at the enemy. Tenten watched, drunkenly entranced, as it attacked, pulling weapons from nowhere coated with more poison than she'd ever laid eyes on. One by one, the enemy dropped to the floor. The greenery mess blurred with blue chakra strings, dark crimson blood, and heavy screams. Everything seemed magical…Well, magical in a perverse sort of way.

As the last one fell to the ground, his cry dying in his mouth, Tenten had to work hard to stifle the overpowering urge bubbling within her to clap.

The puppeteer wheeled on her. "What were you dong?" he hissed furiously.

"I…" Tenten struggled to respond, but couldn't quite find the voice to speak. Her heart was pounding and her breath seemed caught in her throat. There was definitely something perversely wrong with her.

In obvious irritation, the puppeteer turned his back to her and went about returning the puppets back inside his summoning scrolls.

He had a right to be angry, she knew. He'd had to handle the enemy all on his own just because all she could do was stand there and gawk as he wielded his puppets. "I'm sorry." Tenten uttered quickly and quietly.

Sorry was not a word she was fond of using, but knew when she had to use it.

He turned his head to stare at her coldly.

Although, even though she rarely used it, some people still could not be placated with the word. "I just…" Tenten bit her lip, "This is gonna sound stupid, but I've never seen anything like that. It was artistic."

He scoffed. "That wasn't artistic. That was just murder."

He was right, she supposed; it was nothing but the usual everyday murder. Still…She looked wistfully at the puppets, almost wishing they would come back to life.

Just then he laughed. A low deep laugh that seemed to begin from deep inside his gut. "You're serious."

Tenten blushed. "Oh, forget it." She snapped, thoroughly annoyed. "I don't know why I opened my big mouth anyway."

As Kankurou of the sand sealed away his last puppet, he seemed to contemplate her seriously. His dark eyes appeared to look right at her. Not at her body or at her face, but right at her very core. It was more than a little unsettling. She surmised it would've been more unsettling if he looked like he had a few minutes ago, but now his customary hood had fallen and his purple paint was smeared, mixed with blood spatter and dirt. There was definitely no trace of the elegant puppet wielder she'd been previously entranced by.

"If you like, when we get back to Suna, I'll show you real art." He said calmly, almost as if in passing.

"You shouldn't invite me to things you will later regret. I have a habit of taking up invitations offered only for courtesy's sake." She informed him matter-of-factly. She'd had way too many experiences where she seemingly showed up unwanted. Saying things to be nice was an art that eluded her. She couldn't and wouldn't do it, nor could she figure out when it was being used by others. A flaw in her social dynamics, she figured.

He chuckled again – lighter this time. "In my family, we never do anything to be nice. Everything we say is exactly what we mean. It's too frustrating to be polite with people you don't care for. It's just not worth it. Hell, it's just to frustrating to even be polite to people you _do_ care for."

Tenten smiled. Oh, she was liking him better already. "Alright."

**xXxXx**

His definition of art proved interesting enough.

His view on art proved to be a puppet show itself. Sans murder and blood.

The puppeteers moved their life-size dolls with great skill, while the puppeteers themselves blended into the background. The puppets looked almost human and the story was certainly enticing. She found herself thoroughly enraptured by the bunraku theatre.**(1)**

"Well?" Kankurou asked her when it was over.

Tenten drew her hands up behind her head and stared up at the starry night sky. The frost in the air bit at her cheeks sending shivers through her body. "Well," she mused, "it was really interesting, very cool, the puppets well built, the story expertly portrayed, the puppet movements fluid…It was definitely art."

He smiled at her in obvious skepticism, "But?"

She remembered the way Karasu, Kuroari, and Sanshōuo **(2)** moved. The way his fingers seemed to barely move, but really moved quite a lot. The way the enemies fell and the swirl of colors that fell across the landscape.

The blood.

The death.

The screams.

The horror.

"But," she continued, "It's got nothing on your act." She grinned at the puppeteer.

"You're nuts." He laughed. "Completely insane."

"Oh, yeah. _Definitely_." She conceded.

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**A/N:**It came out a little peculiar I think, but all in all, I find I rather like this one. The title of this one keeps reminding me of Deidara which really makes me want to change the title. I'm not even sure I rather like the title...

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**(1)** If my theater teacher is to be believed, bunraku theatre is a Japanese form of theatre that uses life-size puppets.

**(2) **_Karasu_ "The Crow" His first puppet

_Kuroari _"Black Ant" His second puppet, used to kill Sakon and Udon during the Sasuke retrieval arc

And if wikipedia is to be believed, _Sanshōuo_ is "Salamander". His third puppet which he pulls out during his fight with Sasori.


	4. The Thing About Embarrassment

_**The Thing About Embarrassment**_

_(#12 Tadpole)_

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**Summary:** Best friends are totally aware of how stupid you are, but still manage to be seen with you in public.

**Characters: **Tenten and Lee

**Word Count: **1,003

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Tenten sat comfortably on the ledge of the building looking down at the passerby. She always sat on the ledge of some building every Saturday morning to think. She believed if one didn't sit down to contemplate things in their life they might miss something important. She only had one life, might as well think about it even if it was just a little bit, right?

Today she was settled on the top of her favorite bakery staring up at the sky. The sun plagued by timidity, was barely showing the tip of it's head to the sky. In return, the sky blushed a pink and orange array at her lover's reemergence.

Tenten imagined someone would surely question her sanity if they ever knew she compared the sky and sun to lovers. With a heavy sigh, Tenten leaned forward and rested her head on her upturned palms. Soon enough she'd have to move, the pressure of her elbows on her thighs was something she could only put up with for so long. Her elbows were just so damn _bony_.

Not too far away she could see a green awkward looking creature jumping and running about. The creature seemed to be exercising.

Tenten jolted out of her revere as the slamming of doors and voices below her punctured the lofty silence.

Her vision cleared and the objects resembled what they should resemble once more. The green jumpy thing off in the distance, she noted, turned out to be Lee exercising. "What a youthful day!" He cried in jubilation.

Tenten wasn't sure if she would smile at his enthusiasm or wince in embarrassment for her friend. Lee really never was embarrassed, sometimes that in itself proved embarrassing for her.

"Ugh!" A girl complained from somewhere below. Tenten shifted just enough so she could look down at the events occurring right at the foot of the building. "Won't he shut up?" The girl complained. Tenten knew her well enough. She was the skinny, pretty, dark-haired civilian who worked in the bakery she was currently settled upon some days. On average, Tenten really didn't like her. She was too jittery, gossipy, and flirty. Tenten found most civilian girls tended to be that way: savage without really getting their hands dirty. Words did alot more damage than people ever gave them justice for.

"He's such a freak." The dark-haired civilian gossiped savagely.

"Incredibly so." Another girl agreed with her heartily. "How he ever became a ninja is beyond me."

"Doesn't he remind you of a frog?" Another voice chimed.

"No way! There's no way he could possibly even be a frog! He's more like an ugly warty toad."

"A_ fly_!"

Tenten tuned out the rest of the conversation, feeling more than just a bit annoyed. Just like them to talk about things they knew nothing about.

"Are he and that kunoichi dating?"

"The one with the two buns on her head?"

"I wouldn't think so," The bakery worker laughed, "she'd be smart enough to stay away from a dork like him." She grinned viciously, "I bet it's just pity. I mean, just _look_ at him. Who would be friends with_ that _voluntarily?"

Tenten bristled. Truth be told, on more than one occasion, she'd been accused of liking Lee or Neji. Apparently, being teammates with two boys meant she had to shack up with one of them. Also on more than one occasion they'd accused her of not liking either of them.

That accusation was more on the mark than the previous one. Upon getting assigned, she had made it painfully clear to Neji, Lee, Gai, and anyone else stupid enough to cross her the day the teams were assigned, that she did not like any of them. She'd told Lee he was an utter dork. She'd told Neji he was a poor excuse for a human being. And she'd told Gai she didn't want him an idiot for a teacher.

By nature, Tenten was easily embarrassed. Lee and Gai were the walking talking incarnation of embarrassment; and_ Neji_, to put it simply, he was just a jerk.

She was a jerk too.

She knew that now, and had done everything possible to rectify her original cruel statements.

Yeah, Neji _was_ mean, but he was also nice when he let the walls down.

Yeah, Lee _was_ a dweeb, but he was a very good person.

Yeah, Gai _was _weird, but he was an excellent teacher.

She swung off the building, landing right before the group of chittering girls. "Oh, buzz off, flies. Lee's a really nice guy."

"He's a freak." The bakery worker said cheekily.

Tenten leaned into the girl so her lips hovered right above the cocky girl's ear. "Better than a bitch, wouldn't you say? At least freaks are worth a person's time."

The girl flushed red and seemed ready to start yelling at her, but Tenten simply turned away from her. "Hey, Lee!"

"Tenten!" He belted out cheerfully. "Have you been having a youthful morning?" He asked cheerily. His eyebrows then creased together in worry. "Do you still have cramps?!"

Tenten groaned and bopped him fiercely on the head as she reached him, trying her hardest to avoid any passerby's eyes. "Remember how we said that certain things should never be repeated to the general public?"

Lee rubbed his head as if it were to take away the pain. "Yes…"

"That was one of them." She knew her face was that disgustingly bright red it tended to turn when she was horribly embarrassed. "You know, Lee," She mentioned casually, trying to will away her embarrassment, "Sometimes, you're_ really _embarrassing."

Lee looked crestfallen.

If she were to designate every person she knew as an animal, Lee would be a tadpole. He didn't look like much and he wasn't very nice looking, but one day he'd surprise everyone. He was already surprising her. "But I'm glad you're my friend."

He grinned happily. "Let us run ten laps around the village!" He proposed in excitement.

She scowled, "_Hell _no."


	5. Between Fear and Friendship

_**Between Fear and Friendship**_

_(#22 Cathedral)_

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**Summary:** An irrational fear is annoying, because you simply can't explain it. But she just _knows_ it is an evil place. She just can't say _why_.

**Characters: **Tenten and Neji

**Word Count: **368

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"I won't go in! You can't make me!" She protested vehemently, shaking her head to and fro furiously.

Neji stared at her in aggravation. 'Tenten, it's just-"

"It's evil, that's what it is!" She complained loudly. "EVIL!"

Neji's eye twitched. "It's a cathedral. The last thing it could be is evil."

Tenten narrowed her eyes at the pale Hyuuga. "Just because it's a cathedral doesn't mean it has to be good." She shuddered. "Just look at it! All big, and gothic-like, windows high, and lights low." She stared at the building before her. "It's the epitome of evil, my friend."

"It's a cathedral."

"I WON'T GO IN!"

Neji seemed to want to kill her. He seemed to want to wrap his hands around her neck and throttle the life out of her.

She crossed her arms and stared resolutely at the floor. She would not budge. She would not, she would not, she would not! It was filled with evil. She really couldn't say why she thought so, but she just _didn't like it._ Something about the building was unnatural and-and just plain _wrong_. Maybe it was haunted. Or maybe _worse…_ She dug her feet into the ground. "Let's go home."

Neji stared at her quietly for a bit, before giving a resigned sigh. "Tenten, _please_."

Tenten hesitated. Never once, in all her life, had Neji ever said 'please' to her. Not _once_. She looked back at the looming and frightening building. She sighed. "Why do you need to go into hell-I mean, the cathedral, again?"

Neji shifted awkwardly. "My mother's grave…"

Tenten scowled. "Okay, okay. Let's go in." She bit her lip. "But…don't laugh at this okay?" She waited until he nodded before she asked her question. "Can you hold my hand as we go in?"

Neji nodded and Tenten could've sworn he looked glad she'd requested that.

She swallowed her fear and took her hand in his gripping it tightly. "The things I do for you people." She whispered silently.

"I'm grateful for it." He said silently, almost so softly that the wind attempted to swallow his words.

Luckily, the wind didn't succeed.

She smiled. Fear was a powerful thing, but friendship topped it by far.

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**A/N:** I don't know a thing about Neji's mother. But in this fic, I'm assuming she was alive until recently in which she died. Sorry, if it doesn't adhere to what truly is Neji's family life.


	6. On Penmanship

**_On Penmanship  
_**

_(#43 -- Ink Blotch)_

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**Summary: **Of all the weapons she'd ever wielded, the most difficult one to master was the pen. Calligraphy was an incredibly difficult thing to master…

**Characters:** Tenten

**Word Count: **460

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Tenten slid the pen carefully across her eighty-fifth scroll that day. This one had to come out perfect — it just had to!

The first line glided over the paper effortlessly, making it's mark with precise beauty and precision. Absolute perfection. The second line met the first in a dance of subtlety. One word, one sign, one mark, and then the rest. After each mark there was always another and each one depended on the last.

The heavy black ink was soaked up by the paper as if with greed, as if needing the liquid to stay alive.

Tenten grinned happily as she neared the end. She was going to do it! She was finally going to–

Tenten glared furiously at the paper as one single drop fell unceremoniously onto the paper. One single drop ruining the _masterpiece_. A disgusting ink blotch now stained what would have been her first summoning scroll. "Ugh!" Tenten growled and tossed the scroll at the wall.

Why was it so damn hard?

She could throw fifteen kunai at the same time and always hit her mark. She could wield a kunai, an extensive blade, a nunchunk — she could wield every damn weapon in the spectroscope of weapons! She could jump the farthest lengths and heights! Hell, she could even do some handy genjutsus! Regardless of how hard learning how to utilize weapons was, it was nothing, _nothing _like writing summoning scrolls. She could pick up the necessary skills when it came to a weapon immediately, but when it came to writing a few stupid words on a scroll she had trouble.

Why did her penmanship have to be so horrible? Why could she not write a stupid scroll without screwing up!?

Tenten glared at the scroll.

Oh, she would master it.

She would master it if it took her years. All she knew was that she was going to learn how to write a summoning scroll. She was going to learn how to write one and it was going to become her best friend. She did not become a ninja to become a mediocre one. She wanted to stand out. She wanted to be proud of herself. If she was going to do something, she was going to go all the way.

She was not just going to be some stupid girl who could throw a kunai. She was not just going to be a girl who could fight.

She was going to be a_ weapons' mistress_, and there was nothing on hell, or heaven, or earth, that would impede her from learning how to write a summoning scroll.

Tenten picked up another empty scroll and began anew.

She would not let the ink beat her.

She would win; she wouldn't stop until she did.


	7. Lower Points of Sexism

_**Lower Points of Sexism**_

_**(#35 -- Kunoichi)**_

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**Summary: **She was _not _a kunoichi! She was a shinobi, dammit!

**Characters: **Tenten

**Word Count: **643

**Extra warning: **The contents of this chapter a are a bit…well, bad, so the rating of this fic will go up to T, but not all of the fics in this collection will have such a high rating, so I will now, be adding a rating per story. Death mentions, a rather pissed off Tenten, murder, and innuendos. Nothing too bad I think.

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"_A kunoichi?" He laughed at her, smirk pronounced. "They sent a kunoichi to get me?"_

Tenten stood above him breathing heavy, hands clenched tightly around a bloody kunai. He scrambled away from her on his hands and knees, eyes wide with fear. "Leave me alone!" He screamed, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Tenten kicked him roughly in the ribs, turning him around so he was looking up. "You're sorry?" She hissed, anger lacing every syllable.

_His grey eyes danced with mirth, a large smirk pulled across his wide lips. "Well, aren't you pretty? A little whore like you shouldn't be wearing such cumbersome clothes. It hides your lovely figure." _

"_Quit talking before you piss me off."_

Blood rolled down her knuckles from the heavy grip she held on the kunai. The metal sliced into her skin, digging in deeply. "I told you to shut up, didn't I?"

He swallowed, face perspiring, nose running, eyes pleading. "Forgive me. Be merciful."

"_Your lucky day." He rolled his blade about in his heads. "I rather like you."_

"_Are you going to make this easy for me? Or are we going to have to fight?"_

_He smirked. "Let's do this instead." He leaned forward. "How about you bend over for papa, and I'll let you get away with your life?"_

_Tenten inhaled sharply. "You did __**not **__just say that."_

She dug her foot into his neck. "I was only supposed to bring you back to Konoha." She spat and dug her foot in further. "But I think I've changed my mind."

His eyes widened even more. "P-Please…d-don't…"

"It's just you and me, nobody else." She murmured. "I can write it off as a necessary murder. Your life or mine. No one will ever know."

"I-I'll know." He wheezed.

"There's nobody around. Nobody to hear you scream."

_Her nerves snapped as the old bugger somehow manged to get around her. He pushed her up against a tree and ran his hand across her chest. Tenten shoved him back furiously, the old man slamming into the tree trunk._

"_So you like it rough don't you, bitch?"_

She summoned out a long sharp blade. "I think I'm going to enjoy killing you."

"I'm sorry!"

"Too little, too late."

_She wiped blood off her lips. Despite everything, he was a hard guy to take down. He had an incredible amount of stamina and was actually very strong. _

"_Getting tired?" He grinned lecherously. "Gonna take me up on my offer, kunoichi?"_

"I really, really hate sexist pigs." She spat right before driving the blade straight into his heart. "Go to hell."

His grey glassy eyes stared up at her, frozen into a fixed expression of fear. His lips twitched and his fingers stopped moving.

She pulled out the blade from the man's lifeless body and Tenten breathed out a sigh. "A necessary take down. Needed to use excessive force." She mumbled absently. "Mission failed." Tenten pulled out a washcloth from her pocket and wiped the blade clean. Never had she failed a mission and felt so completed.

_Tenten dug a kunai straight into his gut, immobilizing him. The man sunk to the ground in agonizing pain. "Wh-What…?"_

_She bent over and breathed heavily. "Fuck you." She stared at him, intent on murdering him, intent on removing his pitiful life from the face of the earth. "I'm not a kunoichi, dammit." She growled. "I'm a shinobi." She dug another kunai straight into his thigh. "And the last person, you'll ever see on the face of the earth once I'm done with you."_


	8. It Has to Be Done

_**It Has to Be Done **_

_**(#45 -- Ribbon)**_

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**Summary: **Some things had to be done…Even if nobody really wanted to do them.

**Characters: **Tenten, Neji, Lee

**Word Count: **708

**Extra warning: **An upset Tenten, murder mentions but not description. _Rated T_

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It was a well known fact that shinobi were often times required to do things of the unsavory nature. Things that left the shinobi reeling with guilt or disgust at some times. She thought the ones that had worst were those who's justus were specifically designed to kill in stealth; like Shikamaru or even Neji. They could kill someone before the person even realized what was occurring. Tenten wasn't a stranger to these acts. She'd seen more than her fair share of blood and heard enough screams to last her a lifetime.

Every time she came back from one of those missions, she would despair. She would sit and wallow and cry to her heart's content. Shinobi aren't supposed to show their emotions, but when the mission was over, she had to let it out, or else she could never go back. It was all for the best, she knew, but that didn't make it any easier.

That night, Tenten crouches underneath a large oak tree trying to will away the memory of the day's actions. She can still hear her scream and see the crimson blood stain the landscape. After the deed, Tenten had wiped and washed and polished the murder weapon forty-seven times. It was the cleanest she'd ever seen it, but everytime she really looked at it, the image of blood dripping around it would not disappear. Killing was one thing, not something appealing, but easy enough to do. Killing your best friend was entirely another.

Tenten had had to kill the only friend she'd had when she was a young girl. She had been kind and affirmative — not the type you'd expect to be the heir to a crime stream. It hurt. It was all for the good, but it still fucking _hurt_.

There's a rustle in the leaves and suddenly Neji and Lee are in front of her. Lee frowns in concern. "Tenten?"

She turns just the slightest bit, not even caring that they can see the tears pooling down her face. "Yeah, Lee?" She never liked for others to see her cry, but she was in no mood to pretend it didn't hurt when it was tearing her apart inside.

Lee opens his mouth to talk, but Neji silences him with a hand on the green-clad boy's shoulder. Silently almost unbidden the boys sit next to her, one on either side. Lee holds her hand gingerly and squeezes it in comfort. "I'm sorry, Tenten." His voice holds none of his usual perkiness and overbearing resilient tone, instead he's comforting and empathetic. She thinks he really means it when he says he's sorry.

Neji brushes the damp stringy brunette strands out of her face, and braids them gingerly. Neji's never really done anything like that before and Tenten finds herself more than just a little shocked. "It won't feel so bad tomorrow." He says quietly. "We're here for you."

It's then she lets herself break down completely. Neji and Lee sit there beside her. Not condescending, not pushy, not anything. They're just there for her, and she's never felt better.

She wakes up at some point her head against Lee's shoulder and Neji's head on hers. She stirs, trying hard not to disturb either of her two friends. The sun is rising over the horizon tinting the sky an array of pink and red. There's still a gaping hole in her chest, but she feels a lot better.

White ribbon dangles in her hair from the braids Neji had done in her hair. Tenten fingers the ribbon carefully and settles back into her previous position. Yeah, shinobi often times have to do things, they would really rather not do. Shinobi often left their completed missions feeling with guilt and shame; but in retrospect, it was really alright. Someone had to do the horrid deed, and someone was always there to help them through the misery.

Since that day, Tenten always tied up her hair into her customary buns with the white silk ribbon Neji had tied her braids with. Through every deed she'd ever done, the weight of the white ribbon reminded her, that her friends would always be there for her. That she was not alone, even when it felt like it.


	9. Of All The Games

**Of All the Games…**

_(#17 -- Hopscotch)_

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**Summary: **It was just another one of Gai-sensei's ridiculous ideas. But unlike the others, this one actually worked.

**Characters: **Tenten, Neji, Lee, Gai

**Word Count: **1,273

**Extra warning: **None necessary. _Rated K._

* * *

The stupidest, or perhaps smartest, thing Gai-sensei had ever proposed to his team was one of his many 'bonding' exercises. His 'bonding' exercises tended to range from cooking to, oddly enough, playing a prank on the current Hokage. Of the all the exercises they conducted, the pranks never tended to end well. Neither Tenten, nor Neji, nor Lee, nor Gai, were any good at pulling a well orchestrated prank. It was usually either a lame prank or they got caught doing the prank at the worst possible time. Over time, Tenten and Neji became clever enough to find a way out of the training exercises, but in the beginning they were forced along.

One of his few successful exercises was rather impromptu and proposed back when his team was still undeniably at odds with each other. It had began with the end of a rather unorthodox training session in which Gai-sensei had them work on how long they could hold their breath while sparring using only taijutsu. Tenten lost almost immediately. On average she was okay in her taijutsu, combine that with holding her breath and it spelled disaster. Although, she _was _the best when Gai-sensei allowed them to use weapons while holding their breath; but without weapons she failed miserably. Lee lost about twenty seven times to Neji before finally winning one, though Tenten attributed the win to the fact that Neji was getting exhausted and Neji just didn't hold the same resilience Lee did at that time.

Lee would eventually surpass Neji in taijutsu, but at the moment, Lee was still lacking in everything but heart.

"Can I go home now?" She had complained to Gai-sensei once Lee had finally bested Neji. "You know, since we're done?"

"But we must train harder!" Lee protested.

Neji just sat there stoically.

It was at that interval that Gai-sensei seemed to find it appropriate to try to unite them closer as a team once again. Tenten had told him constantly to quit trying. She, Lee, and Neji were far too different to ever get along appropriately. But Gai was just as hard-headed as Lee - they both refused to ever give up on anything.

"I know what youthful exercise we can do!"

"Please no." Tenten pleaded at the same time Neji sighed in aggravation.

"Let us play hopscotch, my young students!"

Tenten felt her eyebrow twitching. "Hopscotch?" Of all stupid things, Gai had picked hopscotch? She wondered yet again if someone had hit him too hard in the back of his head in a mission. He had to be mentally unwell in _some _retrospect.

"I have to–" Neji tried to wrangle out of it, but Gai-sensei hushed him with another long monologue on how hopscotch would surely light the inner fires of their youth.

Tenten had no reservations about telling her sensei to shut the hell up, but she'd long since realized that doing so only made his monologue _longer_. So rather, she picked herself up from the comfy spot on the floor and started digging a kunai into the grass so that the lines of the hopscotch squares were clearly evident by the brown lines of dirt through the brightly colored grass. "Fine. Let's get it over with." She interrupted, hoping this would, in effect, shut him up.

Neji hesitated. "I don't know how."

Tenten yawned. "How what?"

"How to play."

It took her a few seconds to register the information, though seemingly it seemed she was the first to understand. Lee gaped at Neji in astonishment and Gai looked a cross between a child who'd just had his candy taken away and a child who couldn't understand where his mother had gone when peekaboo was being played.

"How can you not know how to play?" She asked baffled. "Doesn't every kid play hopscotch? Hell, I'm poor as dirt and have no parents, and I've played the game."

He scowled. "Well, I've never played."

She straightened, realizing that she may have inadvertently offended him. She blinked, "Look, I didn't mean…It's just…It's weird okay? I didn't expect that, especially from you." Without as 

second thought, she took his hand in hers and dragged him over to the game she'd just dug into the grass. "Okay, look, there's these squares."

Lee seemed to have regained his composure and moved to stand beside her. "They are numbered."

Tenten nodded. "Right. And the object of the game is really just to get through all the squares and back, but you have to hop through them." She hopped through her design, "Just like this." She showed him again coming back.

Lee picked up a pebble. "And you throw a rock to get to the right square. If you do no't get it in or if it touches the line, you lose your turn." Lee tossed the pebble in example.

"Also, if while you're hopping on a single square your other foot touches the ground it's a violation. Your turn is disregard and you go back to where you lst were. Same thing happens if you hop on a line." Tenten showed him what she meant.

Neji frowned. "Well, it's a pretty easy game for a ninja wouldn't you say?"

Tenten analyzed her rudimentary design. "Now that you mention it…"

"What if we play on a mountain?" Lee suggested.

Tenten nodded. "Yeah…Oh! And instead of a pebble we use a kunai, but we also draw a target on each square where we have to get a bulls-eye or else have our turn skipped!"

"I know!" Gai interrupted, finally falling out of his revere, "We also separate the squares by 25feet!"

Neji's eye started twitching. "How about between five and eight feet?"

Tenten nodded. "Yeah, five or eight sounds good." Twenty-five was just ridiculous.

Thirty minutes later, they finished constructing their game of hopscotch on one of the steepest mountains in the village. Despite Tenten's initial disinclinations to the game, she found herself having fun. "Hey! Cheater!" She accused, pointing her finger at Neji. "You toed the line!"

"I DID NOT!" He protested.

Tenten turned to Lee. "You be the judge. Did he or did he not?"

Lee shook his head. "Tenten, I did not see him touch the line."

"Gah!" She protested bitterly. "You're both in cahoots."

"Who says 'cahoots' nowadays?" Neji smirked.

"Who says 'nowadays'?" She shot back.

"Bitter." He smirked.

"Cheater." She snapped. "EP! STOP!" She yelled at Gai.

Gai froze, halting before going to the next jump. "What?"

"You cheated." Neji explained.

"Exactly." Tenten harrumphed.

"I did not cheat!" Gai protested.

"Lee?" Tenten inquired.

"Gai-sensei," Lee said smiling, "you touched the line."

"Ha-ha!" Tenten grinned. "Told ya!"

Neji rolled his eyes. "It's about time one of your accusations proved to be true."

"Hey," She protested, sticking her tongue out at her teammate. "They were all true; this is just the first time I could get one of you pinned."

"Sure." Neji said. "Suure."

Somehow, that rather strange game of hopscotch made friends out of strangers and teammates of outsiders. As friends, they would always be called the oddest bunch, but that day Tenten found, it really wasn't so bad. Being friends with them was rather nice, because beneath their skin they were rather different. And it was special to be able to say that she was one of the few who could see it.

Also, it turned out that their modified version of the game of hopscotch became not only the most popular game among shinobi, but one of the only 'fun' training exercises that senseis could use to mold their students.

Hunh, they were starting trends. And all because Gai-sensei had another harebrained idea.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey, guys! Firstly, I want to thank you all for reading and reviewing. You're the best. Second, in case you didn't know, I am now in my senior year of high school and have recently begun searching for scholarships. I have entered one in which I could get 500 dollars but it all depends on people voting for my picture. I have a link on my profile (near the top) and if you all could vote for my picture I would really truly appreciate it. You don't even have to register at the site to vote for my picture, (although, I believe registering would give my picture more points) so if you could go and vote I would owe you soooo much. I will be forever in your debt.

In fact, if you like, I will write absolutely anything you request of me. (even if I hate the very idea)

Thank you and love you guys!


	10. The Race

**The "Race"**

_(#09 – Ready, Set, Go!)_

* * *

**Summary: **It seemed to be one giant race to one the prize -- to win your handsome prince.

**Characters: **Tenten, mentions of Ino

**Word Count: **864

**Extra warning: **None necessary. _Rated K._

* * *

When she was just a little girl, she was often times baffled by how many of the girls her age seemed to be concerned with the opposite sex. The little female creatures would stare at the males, eyes wide, cheeks flushed, and dreams spinning in their minds. Tenten would look at the males and only see a bunch of boys that were much more fun to play games with than the girls. She was slower than all the rest of the girls her age to recognize the opposite sex, and it took her longer than most to find something even remotely interesting about them. There were occasions she was plagued with a rather annoying blush because a boy looked rather cute, but she could never find herself actually _liking _any boy. Even if they looked good, they didn't seem worthy of her effort. She had more important goals to look to - like becoming a shinobi.

As she grew, the girls' obsession with males didn't seem to dwindle. They gained other interests, but their desire to find their love never quite faded or was never quite pushed to the background. It was a world of men and a world of women who loved talking about men. Sometimes it unnerved her. Mostly though, it just confused her.

It seemed more often than not, the entire basis of life seemed to be a giant race among the females. They all lined up behind the start line and chatted amiably about the goal to be obtained at the end of the race. They were cheerful, they were happy, they were friends. At least until two girls picked the same goal, then it seemed to break apart. All the girls were inevitably heading off in the same direction, but each one wanted someone different to hold (in most cases). Sometimes they got the prize they'd originally chased after, other times they did not. It was a simple race "Ready, steady, go!" and suddenly the girls shot off, wind beneath their feet trying to get that prize. She had been left behind covered in a cloud of dust, not really incited by the idea of wining the race. Or even beginning it. The girls would race and race in the beginning, but they go tired and they soon resorted to walking. Their search wasn't so frenzied anymore. It was filled with the same zest, but far more patient, the further along they got. All throughout the curious game, she saw them win their prize, or have their prize taken, or the have the prize depart on its own, she saw them set their eyes one somebody else, and she saw them find a prize on accident. It was interesting to watch in it's own, but not something she ever felt part of.

At least, not in the beginning.

She felt like someone had dumped a bag of sand on her when she wasn't looking. A bag she really didn't want to carry around. A soft kiss on her lips and whispered sweet nothings in the night followed her in 

Konoha. Nightly escapades that left her feeling more empty than pleased and created an embarrassing pale blush spreading on her face. In Suna, heavy laughter, playful touches, and demanding kisses occupied her spare time. Pleasant meetings that left her feeling more than just a little unsure and a nervous pleasant feeling to swim inside her gut.

She wasn't anywhere near as pretty or flirty as the girls her age. She wasn't the kind that looked for a guy, or had ever even participated in the race. She never tried to compliment or charm anyone. If anything she was far too blunt and much too honest. And yet she had these problems.

Ino looked at her with newfound interest when she found out, because of course, Konoha's gossip queen had to find out. Tenten didn't know if she should ask her to keep quiet or not. She didn't know anything more. She told Ino the very same thing. Ino just smiled kindly and pecked her on the forehead. "You'll know; a girl always knows."

Ino must not have told anyone, because no one else approached her with questions, or looked at her any different. Tenten didn't know how she would know. She didn't know if she could know. Maybe she'd been born defective. Maybe, she didn't know how to just know.

But when Tenten sits down alone, to think about it. She thinks she understands what Ino meant. Because when she was younger, she was always alone. As she grew up, she gained friends and teachers, but she still enjoyed being alone. A large piece of her preferred being alone. But now, now when she sits alone, when she thinks about her problems - current and passed - she doesn't feel right. She can't help that she really wants someone to be there.

Just _one _someone.

Maybe a girl always does know.

She'd never wanted a part of the race, but she'd been forced into it. Instead of attempting the race, Tenten just looked at other things — and she too found her prize on accident. Finally, one was worth the effort.

* * *

_**A/N:**__I know, I didn't mention any names, and didn't explain who she picked. I'll leave that up to you, my readers. But…if you can guess correctly who both of the men were when I was writing it (It shouldn't be that hard I think), I'll write a Tenten entry that you pick. Any pairing, any subject. _


	11. A Few Screws Loose

**A Few Screws Loose**

_(#30 – Flirt)_

_

* * *

_**Summary: **They were all barmy. That was the only logical conclusion Tenten could come to.

**Characters: **Tenten, mentions of Ino, Hinata, Anko, Temari, Sakura, Tsunade, Kurenai, Shizune, and MYSTERYGUY

**Word Count: **303

**Extra warning: **None necessary. _Rated K._

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Tenten had always known she was a few screws short when it came to understanding the opposite sex. She just didn't realize she was the only female among the group she regularly talked to, that was absolutely clueless.

"Have you two gone on a date yet?" Sakura had teased warmly.

"Tell me everything!" Ino had demanded. "Is he a good kisser?"

"Do you like him too?" Hinata had asked shyly.

"They tell me you have a boy gunning for your heart now." Temari had said abruptly upon arriving in Konoha.

Even the elder kunoichi said the same. "You can do better." Anko had muttered absently. "I mean, hell, he isn't _that _good looking no matter what others say."

"Does he make you happy?" Kurenai had asked in concerned. "Because that's really the most important thing."

"He's a bit of an odd choice wouldn't you think so?" Shizune had mentioned offhand.

"Are you two dating?" Tsunade has asked an eyebrow raised.

Tenten had answered all of them the same way. "What are you talking about?"

"You two flirting." was the unanimous response.

Tenten had stared blankly ahead, utterly confused. "I was flirting? When? Wait, _he_ was flirting with _me_?"

Needless to say, by the end of the day, Tenten felt very confused. What was the whole deal with flirting? How did one even know when they were flirting? She got different answers from everyone and only ended the day feeling annoyed and bothered.

He wasn't flirting with her right?

Maybe it's not that she was missing a few screws when it came to the opposite sex that made her miss the 'flirting'. Maybe it was that all the other girls she knew had a few too many screws and imagined things that weren't there.

After all, he couldn't really have been flirting with _her_.

_--.--.--.__--.--.--.__--.--.--.__--.--.--.__--.--.--.__--.--.--.__--.--.--.__--.--.--.__--.--.--._

_**A/N:**_I leave it up to you guys to imagine who it was that was flirting with Tenten.

FF is starting to irritate me. It doesn't let me add those little lines/cuts/whatever they're called where I want them. I'm lucky it let me keep _one _this time around._  
_


	12. Accidents Happen

**Accidents Happen**

_50 Shinobi Prompt 47 -- Soap Suds (Bubble)_

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**Summary:** Even though they're ninja, _accidents _still occur.

**Characters: **Tenten & Neji

**Word Count: **1,275

**Extra warning: **A couple swear words. _Rated T._

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"This is just fantastic!" Tenten grumbled sarcastically as she followed after her silent teammate. "Why am I always the one who ends up with clothes so drenched and dirty that I can't walk properly?"

"Because you're the clumsy one." Neji said stoically.

Tenten snorted. "Jerk."

"I'm letting you in the compound so you can fix up, aren't I?"

"It's your fault I need fixing up." She grumbled.

Neji scoffed. "I didn't push you in the mud hole. You fell all on your own."

"Oh, whatever, Hyuuga."

Rolling his eyes, Neji pointed her in the direction of the shower. "Hinata or Hanabi will bring you something you could probably wear when you're done. I'll be in the kitchen. You remember where _that _is don't you?"

Tenten's eye twitched, remembering the escapade in which she got lost in they Hyuuga compound. Neji and Hinata had laughed at her for weeks. "I'll manage."

Neji smirked.

Sometimes, Tenten really wanted to smack that boy.

—

A while later, Tenten managed to find her way into the kitchen, admittedly that was after stumbling into some old lady's room. Red-faced, Tenten had apologized and tried to hightail it out of there as fast as she could.

Neji was sitting comfortably at a stool chewing on an apple. "Why are you red?"

"N-No reason."

"Who'd you walk in on?"

"Nobody!" Tenten lied.

Neji smirked. "You really aren't very good at lying, you realize."

Tenten glared at him. "Oh, fine. I walked in on some old lady." She could feel herself blushing more furiously, "I don't know _what_ she was doing, and let me tell you, I do not want to find out." She leant against the counter. "Where are my clothes?"

"Getting washed."

"Where?"

"Laundry room."

"Which would be?"

"You wouldn't be able to find it."

"You could tell me anyway." She protested.

"I could."

"Well?" She demanded.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, what?"

"Where is it!?"

"In the east wing of the compound."

Tenten groaned. "And where is that?"

"East."

"Dammit, Neji!" She scolded in annoyance.

He snickered at her. Tossing his half eaten apple in the garbage, Neji stood up and headed out of the kitchen. "Come on. Just follow me."

"You are an unbelievable jerk, Neji Hyuuga." Tenten grumbled.

"It's amazing how that doesn't bother me."

"Amazing isn't the word I would use." She muttered under her breath.

She followed after him through an amazing amount of long and confusing hallways and turns. How on earth did the Hyuuga ever make their way around the stupid compound? It was a wonder some of the kids didn't get lost and die of starvation in one of the many rooms. She would have asked how that had never happened before, but all that she needed was a glance to recall why they never got lost — their stupid_ eyes_.

Neji stopped abruptly before a door causing Tenten to smack right into him. "Jeez, give a warning, will ya?"

He didn't reply just opened the door.

"Oh, damn." Tenten breathed as she looked at the room. "Your laundry room is not supposed to look ritzy!"

Neji frowned. "It doesn't."

"Oh, trust me. It does." The washing machines were shiny and seemed to call in tantalizing whispers for people to wash. The walls were a perfect pristine white. The clothes waiting to be washed were actually folded and, in Tenten's eyes, appeared very clean. The ready clothes were folded and fluffy and looked so perfectly pretty lying on the polished oak tables. The windows had not one streak and the floor was spotless — not even a splash of water.

"It's not." Neji mumbled obviously confused.

"Stop by the orphanage sometime and you'll see what I mean." She headed forward then stopped abruptly. "Where exactly are my clothes?"

Neji headed in the opposite direction she had been walking towards, stopping in front of a machine. "Still washing."

Tenten peered at the machine. "Oh, it's just fine. Look, all the dirt is gone."

"It's still washing." Neji repeated.

"Nah, it's good." Tenten pushed him aside and pulled it open before Neji could utter a word of protest. She shouldn't have attempted it. As soon as she wrenched the door open a large stream of bubbles and cold water splashed over her.

Tenten sputtered. "Yeuck. I think I got soap in my mouth." Tenten squeezed the water out of the shirt she was wearing. "Wow, that was cold. Guess, I should've listened to you."

She shivered. "Do I have to put these clothes in the wash again? I mean, the ones that aren't mine." Tenten tried to stand up, but slid on the soap suds as she struggled up. She winced. "Oww."

Noting Neji's silence, she turned around. "Hey, what's–" Tenten stared mouth agape at her teammate. Her usually composed teammate was drenched in cold water, hair stringy and clothes falling around him from the water's weight. Soap suds dusted his chin, lips forehead, hair, and just about every other visible part of his body. He looked like a child who'd just realized that water created a big mess. His mouth was open just the slightest bit, his eyes blinking slowly, and his left eye twitching. Tenten couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Neji's eyes narrowed at her.

She stifled her laughter as best as she could. "Look, Neji, I'm really,_ really _sorry."

"Tenten-"

"I didn't mean to!" She protested. Tenten edged away more than just a little frightened, "Oh, come on! It was an accident! You know I'm an idiot sometimes!"

Neji sighed. "Alright. It's fine." He wiped some of the suds off of himself.

Tenten huffed. "Look, don't do that. I really am sorry! What do you want me to do?"

"It's fine. You didn't mean to."

"Stop pretending it's fine when you want to kick my ass." She scolded.

"Tenten-"

"I could clean-no, wait, I'm no good at that. I could-"

"Tenten, relax. I forgive you."

She frowned thinking it over. "I suppose I could-"

"Tenten!"

"Or maybe, I'll-"

"Tenten!"

Tenten continued rattling off possible things she could do to make up for drenching him, not even noticing that his eye twitch had started again. In severe annoyance, Neji ambled over to one of the unoccupied washers and filled a bucket with freezing cold soapy water. Tenten, still preoccupied with thinking up ways to make it up to him, didn't even notice he'd moved. Neji walked over to her and dumped the contents of the bucket on her head.

"HOLY SHIT!" Tenten screamed. She hopped up and jumped up and down periodically on one foot as if it would take away the freezing pin needles crawling up and down her skin. "DAMMIT, NEJI!"

"Are you happy now? We're even."

"N-N-not e-ev-even! Th-That was f-f-f-f-freezing!" She shivered. "B-b-besides, what I d-d-did was on ac-ac-acci-accident."

"So was what I did."

"L-Liar." She accused.

"The bucket slipped."

"Bullshit."

Neji smirked.

"Wh-What?" She stuttered.

"The soap suds piled around your head make it look like you have devil horns." His smirk grew more pronounced, "Quite fitting wouldn't you say?"

"Oh, you're just a h-horrible_ jerk._" She growled, somehow still feeling despite her irritation that this was one of the most warming bonding moments she'd ever had with Neji. "H-how you became my friend I'll never know."

"I know."

She blinked. "Oh?"

"You're like glue; you wouldn't leave me alone and soon enough I got used to you."

"You kept saying that I was w-weak! It was so unbelievably sexist. I had to p-p-pr-prove you wrong."

"Then how come I still think you're far too weak?"

"Oh, I abs-absolutely h-hate you." She growled.

Neji rolled his eyes.


	13. Idol

**Idol**

_(#08--Hokage (or any of the 'Kages) )_

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**Summary:** Because in the course of life, it's only reasonable to expect that idols will change just as many other things do.

**Characters: **Tenten & Tsunade

**Word Count: **512

**Extra warning: **None necessary. _Rated K._

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Tenten had never really ever told anyone why she became a shinobi. She never told anyone what had motivated her. Never bothered to truly discuss it. The reason she decided to become a shinobi had always been a well harbored secret that gave her motivation.

The reason she'd wanted to become a shinobi, was because of the tales she heard surround Tsunade. One of the legendary Sannin. As a little girl, Tenten gobbled up stories of the powerful kunoichi; from her younger exploits to those in her elder age. Tenten became so fascinated by her story she would dream of meeting her. She didn't have imaginary friends like most children her age; instead she talked to an imaginary Tsunade who taught her secret ninja moves.

That's all it took to really get her started. Once Tenten had delved into the woman's life, she knew she'd never be able to come out again. In essence, she'd sold her soul to the trade. Because of that, Tenten worked hard to do everything and anything she possibly could to get into a proper ninja school. She trained, she studied, she even helped out more at the orphanage in hopes that they would grant her one favor.

In time, her hard work paid off. She went to school, she trained, she studied, she became a kunoichi, and joined Team Gai. Through many mishaps and tribulations, Tenten managed to sufficiently become a kunoichi she'd be proud to meet Tsunade as. Way before it was reasonable for her to do so, Tenten was a kickass kunoichi. Not just a simpering twit. Not just a little girl. But a real bona fide shionbi. She was tough, she was strong, and she never let anyone say otherwise about her.

When she heard Tsunade was to become the next Hokage, Tenten was filled with inner jubilation. She would finally meet her idol!

When she met Tsunade, Tenten did her best to hide her disappointment. Sure, the Hokage was a fantastic woman. She was powerful, strong, and a damn good shinobi. She was skilled and eloquent. Everything Tenten expected her to be.

The problem was, to Tenten, it no longer seemed enough.

She was a gambler, a bit of an idiot at times, a risk-taker, a slight drunk. In essence, Tsunade was _human_. She was the very definition of a powerful human. Tenten had imagined her idol as subhuman. As perfection. As excellence. As everything and anything that a human girl should aspire to be.

Tsunade was amazing.

But Tenten could be better.

"Hokage-sama." Tenten would always greet respectfully. "You called?"

She still owed Tsunade everything. Without her, Tenten would not be a shinobi. Without her, she might have ended up as a simpering civilian with nothing more on her mind than finding a husband. Tenten had found a goal and owed it all to Tsunade. But, she owed it to her dream — she owed it to her imaginary chats with Tsunade, to aim for the sky and nothing less.

Tsunade _had been_ her idol.

Now, Tenten's idol was only excellence itself.


	14. Impaired Senses

**Impaired Senses**

_(#10 –Thunderstorm)_

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**Summary: **It was like fighting with your senses impaired.

**Characters: **Tenten and enemy-nin, mentions of Lee and Neji

**Word Count: **484

**Extra warning: **Open-ended ending. Possible character death interpretation. _Rated T._

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She hated fighting in a thunderstorm. The rain poured down hard obscuring her vision and blurring objects that should never be blurred. The lightning flashed brightly, momentarily blinding her from her surroundings. And quite possibly worst of all, the thunder roared loudly across the landscape blocking her hearing. It was like fighting with all your senses impaired.

On the positive side, the falling water cleaned her stinging cuts. No danger of an immediate infection.

Tenten stopped and tried hard to locate the position of the assailant.

How she wished she could just retreat. But this time she couldn't. She could not just leave — her teammates were counting on her and she would not leave them out to dry.

Tenten cried out sharply as she felt a kunai embed deeply in her back. Turning abruptly she sent a barrage of weapons in the direction the kunai had been thrown. "Coward!" She cried. "Come out and face me!"

"Do I look stupid?" The trees whispered mockingly at her.

She pulled a scroll out, gripping it tightly in her hands, eyes darting around the landscape Where was he? She sense the next kunai coming and managed to move far enough to avoid any vital spots. The kunai instead dug into her upper arm. She pulled it out, wincing as she did so.

She had to do something soon or else she'd end up dead, and Lee and Neji could be next.

She pulled open the scroll, time to make her move. Blinking blearily through the heavy rain she bit down on her thumb.

Weapons spilled out from all around her, hitting each and every direction in a 360 degree radius. She smiled satisfactorily as she heard an audible cry of pain over the thunder. The enemy nin stared cruelly at her.

Tenten didn't hesitate. Fishing her favorite blade from within her pants she made to drive it straight into his heart. A flash of lightning streaked as she brought it down momentarily blinding her. That momentary blindness was all the assailant needed to pull out his own weapon of choice and driving is straight into her. Tenten choked on her own blood, but didn't halt her actions in digging the blade in further. "Die." She sputtered blood dripping from her mouth.

"If I die. So do you." He choked out. He dug his blade further in.

Tenten thought of Neji and Lee and Gai-sensei. She thought of her village and her friends and the life she'd led. Her lips curved up into a smile. "So be it." She pushed her blade in all the way just as her opponent did the same. She felt overcome with dizziness and queasiness. The last thing she heard was a flash of thunder and she sunk to the ground.

Yeah, she really hated fighting in thunderstorms.

Maybe if she was lucky, she'd wake up to fight in a thunderstorm another day.


	15. There's More Than One Way to See Things

**There's More Than One Way to See Things**

_(#18 –Dreams)_

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**Summary: **She imagined what it would be like to be beautiful the way everyone saw beauty.

**Characters: **Tenten, mentions of shinobi in general

**Word Count: **703

**Extra warning: **None necessary. _Rated K._

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Sometimes, in her most secret dreams, Tenten imagined she was somebody else. She fashioned her skin smooth and unmarred, fingertips gentle and frail, hair thick and manageable, and body perfectly slender and curvaceous. Sometimes, she spent time in front of the mirror too, looking herself – looking her body over.

Tenten had never been the girly girl type. She wasn't the kind who liked spending time perfecting her hair, manicuring her nails, or painting her face.

As a rule, she'd never worn dresses or skirts as a child, preferring rather to pilfer some of the boys' trousers around the orphanage, no matter how baggy they fit her. She remembered once she stole some rather large tan pants from one of the elder (perhaps around thirteen years of age) and robust boys. She'd been six at the time. She'd rolled up the legs so much it seemed like she was wearing lifesavers around her ankles and the pants were so baggy that she had to tie them around her waist with a piece of string creating thereby creating an unusual fold in the clothing. She looked absolutely ridiculous – but she stayed that way just so she could avoid the pretty pink dress.

She always tied her hair up into two buns so that all her hair would be completely out of the way of her arm movements – as a child, cutting it had never occurred to her. Having so few things growing up, the thought of removing her hair now, seemed an unpardonable sin – why would she deprive herself of something wholly hers?

She was, if possible, the poster child campaigning _against_ femininity.

Regardless, she sometimes imagined what life would have been like if she'd taken the other route. If she'd agreed to the dresses, curled her hair, to the ballroom dance lessons (unbelievably, despite how little things the orphanage had, ballroom dancing was something that _was_ offered), to the curtsying and smiling like a pretty plastic doll; what would have procured? What if she did become one of those pretty little civilians who married a hearty man, had chubby-cheeked children, and lived their lives working at home as a content mother-woman?

For starters, she probably would have been adopted. The other girls would have been friendlier to her, too. She would not be covered in scars and her fingers would be dainty and soft rather than calloused. She would have a boyfriend by now, if not a fiancé, and she would be prattling with other females about names of future children, sugar, spice, and everything nice. Life would be easier. She would be accepted far and wide. She was fairly certain her life would be nice.

Nice.

But she couldn't think of a life without the joys she held now. She'd miss the feel of metal in her fingers, the crazy antics of Lee, Neji's cool unfaltering stoicism, the exhilaration of learning a jutsu, the taste of curry to boost morale, the exhaustion in her muscles after a good day of training, and most of all, the deep connection with her fellow shinobi.

Life wouldn't be life without that.

She would miss the _fun_.

But mostly, Tenten imagined, she would miss never having known the real meaning of beauty.

Beauty wasn't pretty pursed lips, laughter the sound of tinkling bells, plastered learned smiles, glimmering dresses, or soft shiny hair.

Beauty was more inexplicably amazing than that.

It was the glimmer of sinewy muscles, the spark of confidence, blood dripping from a cut but fists clenched in anticipation, smooth kicks, flawless plans, shining weapons, heavy breaths, tears of anguish, grimaces of pain, screams late at night, unspeakable daring, unwavering joy, moments of triumph, the strength of determination, the pain of success, and the very spirit of protection running through the veins of the Konoha shinobi.

Beauty _was_ her fellow shinobi.

If her occasional dream came true, Tenten would miss out on the most amazing thing she'd ever set sight on: the true beauty of the world— the actions and belief's of its protectors. The heart of every person trying to make an imprint bigger than themselves.

Tenten wasn't a cookie-cutter standard of beauty, but she _was_ beautiful, no matter what anyone said.

When the two types were compared, it was obvious which was the clear winner.


	16. What is Really Going on?

**What is Really Going On?**

_(#10 – heartstrings)_

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**Summary: **You know it sucks when you don't get what's going on and neither does the other person's family. Things get muddled up in the complexities of life, and yet, the world keeps spinning.

**Characters: **Tenten, Kankurou, Temari, mentions of Neji

**Word Count: **2,404

**Extra warning: **None necessary. _Rated T._

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"Are you having sex with my brother?"

Tenten froze the biscuit halfway to her mouth. Any other person would have jumped abruptly at her comment. They also probably would have begun protesting red-faced and stuttering without fully realizing what the blonde had just said. Temari really was frightening enough to get any person to implicate themselves whether they were guilty of the given act or not.

She set the slightly crumbling biscuit back on the plate before her and wiped her hands, rather unladylike on her pants. And she had really been looking forward to the yummy sugary buttery-ness.

"Well?" Temari snapped, tapping her foot along the porcelain tile.

"Take a seat." Tenten waved at the empty chair before her. "I might as well treat you to breakfast while you're here interrogating me."

Temari sat stiffly in the chair. With expert finesse and authority she called over the waitress and ordered something Tenten had never heard of. She sipped idly at her tea. Then again, Tenten hadn't heard of most of Sunan delicacies. The waitress scattered off quickly, frowning a bit.

"I'm waiting Konoha girl." Temari pressed.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes." Temari usually did need things repeated. The blonde probably wasn't expecting that to be the answer. Tenten wondered if she should have tried denial rather than the truth.

Temari's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"I would think that you would be aware why people have sex, Temari." Tenten commented airily. The blonde was vicious, but Tenten still could not bring herself to falter or melt under Temari's cold gaze. She didn't have it in her to back down in front of this woman.

"I don't want you messing with my brother's emotions." Her voice was clipped and cold.

"Temari—"

"Look, if you want to get your kicks, well fine, but don't go around doing it with Kankurou. The ass may be a jerk sometimes, but what he's got going for you is not for fun. So quit your shit and leave him alone."

The waitress, Tenten had noted duly somewhere in the middle of Temari's tirade, had faltered hesitantly halfway in their direction as if trying to decide if interrupting them with food would have negative repercussion on her health. The girl had decided to turn the other way and attend another table. She was intelligent enough, Tenten mused. "No."

Temari looked ready to jump across the table and strangle the daylights out of her.

"I'm not pulling on Kankurou's heartstrings for giggles, Temari." She sipped some more of her tea, all the while never taking her eyes off Temari. Tenten was actually a bit afraid of the blonde at the moment, but there was no way she would let that show now. Kankurou did say facing Temari was a lot like a precarious gamble with a wild animal. You just hand to stand your ground, not show any fear, and hope for the best. "Did it ever occur to you that perhaps I'm having sex with him because I _like_ him?"

"Everyone knows that you and Neji—"

"Oh, would everyone shut the hell up about that?" Tenten snapped angrily. "Why does everyone I know insist that I was put on this earth to be Neji's idyllic girlfriend?" She found that she'd slammed her fist upon the table as the warm tea trickled across the table splattering lightly upon her thigh. Rather forcefully, Tenten grabbed a fistful of napkins and wiped the drippy contents of the table bitterly. "Do I have the word 'Hyuuga' tattooed on my damn forehead? As far as I'm aware, I've never kissed, never flirted, and never even thought about Neji Hyuuga in that manner. And the jerk doesn't think of me that way either. Frankly, I think he's gay. Not that anyone gives a damn about that. It's just, I'm a girl, Neji's a guy, and for some damn reason we seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly." She crumpled the napkins in her fist and dropped the soppy pile on the table. "I am not interested in Neji and he is not interested in me."

There was a rather uncomfortable and stagnant silence between them. Temari's eyes were scrutinizing her heavily, as if trying to uncover some sort of lie within her rant. Tenten wanted to say she understood, but the fact of the matter was that she did not and she was pissed that the stupid blonde would go around assuming things about not only how she felt about Kankurou, but who she was really 'interested' in. Sister, or not, Temari had no right to go about accusing and saying such slanderous things. Tenten cleared her throat and made to get away from the table.

"Don't go just yet."

Tenten froze halfway out of her seat. "Fuck you, Temari."

She didn't look taken aback at the comment, she didn't even seem offended. Temari merely inclined her head to the side slightly without a word.

Tenten walked away from the table, anger broiling inside of her.

She was out of the shop and a good ways down the street before she realized that not only did she have nowhere to go, but in this village she didn't even know where she could venture off to be completely undisturbed. She only really knew the places Kankurou and Temari had shown her, and of those they were all populated at least somewhat save for the training grounds. And really, the training grounds weren't the type of place that she was really interested in venting her anger out. Ideally, it was the perfect place. And it would have been the place she'd run off to if not for two integral problems.

The first was that Kankurou was currently at the training grounds and meeting him in her current state would further antagonize her and probably render ill feelings between Kankurou and Temari. Despite her anger, Tenten did not want to stir discontent between the siblings.

The second problem was that most of the shinobi here tended to find her the perfect sparring partner and any time they saw her milling about the training grounds, they took the opportunity to engage her into sparring. She didn't even know them all that well and for some reason she had turned into a revered partner.

Temari and Kankurou said it was because of her easygoing and 'charming' personality. Apparently, the grace in which she took losses and wins was almost unheard of in Suna.

Tenten stood awkwardly in the middle of the street for a few minutes before deciding on a course of action. Almost begrudgingly, Tenten shuffled toward the shopping district. It was mostly clothes, baked goods, and curious knickknacks that were sold in the district. She detested the concept of clothing, particularly the amazingly feminine forms of female wear Suna toted proudly, but the pastries and odd assortments of curious always intrigued her. Unfortunately, they also always happened to reduce her monetary funds to nil. Tenten's weakness for sweet breads was far too potent and her interest in useless trinkets too compelling for her own good. She liked avoiding the district at all costs, but currently, it was the only feasible option.

She dragged her feet through the sandy floor, ensconced in bothersome circular thoughts, as the sun's rays beat upon her mercilessly.

Temari had said that Kankurou was not doing what they were doing for fun. Somehow, she couldn't get those words out of her head.

Yeah, Tenten wasn't exactly messing around with him just for 'kicks'. She wasn't the slutty type of twit that threw herself at any halfway decent guy. She had had sex with Kankurou, on more than one occasion, and it was because he sent her hormones up the wall. Although, admittedly, he could do that sometimes; he had very dexterous fingers. It was because she liked conversing with him. It was because he made her laugh. It was because somehow he made her feel beautiful. She really liked him as a person. Maybe if she wasn't a ninja, she would be thinking about him in terms of marriage. But she didn't see marriage as a conceivable option for most shinobi, especially the kind like her. So, while she cared for him, she wasn't expecting the feelings to be mutual. In fact, she expected it to be a one-sided route.

Given Kankurou's reputation it was certainly more than likely.

Kankurou wasn't known for being choosy in his sexual exploits and definitely not serious in any of them. He enjoyed himself and cared little for permanent attachments. When he first kissed her, she wasn't creating any delusions of what was happening. She knew right off the bat that it wasn't serious. Even if she hadn't known, he told her right after the kiss. Almost as a warning.

She didn't care.

She wanted to tell herself that she still didn't care, but the fact that Temari had to involve herself, the mere fact that she'd said it wasn't purely for fun, sent joys up and down her system. It was a delicious feeling: one on the very tip of her tongue that she wanted to relish forever.

Tenten sighed and burrowed her hands into her pockets as she entered the marketplace. Maybe if she kept her hands out of sight she wouldn't buy anything. That theory was blown to pieces the second she caught a whiff of something apple-y and almond-y. She'd shelled out the money faster than it took for her to realize she'd actually bought something. Tenten sighed and looked and the crumbly muffin thing in her hand. She nibbled at it lightly. "Really, I have no self control." She murmured to herself just as something shiny caught her eye. She was almost at the store containing the shiny thing, when someone knocked the pastry out of her hand. "Hey! That was mine!"

Fast passing people squashed the pastry into nothingness before she could utter another word of protest.

"It tasted horrible anyway." A cool voice informed her.

"It smelled good." She protested, feeling childish.

Kankurou looked down at her in mild interest.

"I thought you were at the training grounds."

"I was. Not anymore."

"Well, that's obvious isn't it?"

"You're statement was pretty obvious."

She inclined her head. "Yes, I suppose so." She wondered if she should go back and buy another apple thing. It really hadn't tasted all that great, but the smell was wonderful. Maybe she could buy it and just carry it around.

She frowned, now _that_ was a stupid idea.

"Temari wanted me to tell you that she wishes to apologize." He frowned, "Of course, when she said it it had quite a few more curse words and insults thrown in the mix. But that was the gist of it."

Tenten stiffened immediately. "Why'd you come here?"

"To find you."

"What made you think of looking here? You know I avoid this place."

He smirked, "You're not all that hard to figure out, Tenten."

"You know, that's almost an insult to a ninja."

"Almost." His eyes twinkled.

"Alright, message delivered. Skitter off now." Tenten waved him away.

Kankurou was usually pretty good at picking up her negative moods and would let her alone when she asked it of him. In fact, the whole Suna population functioned as such. They weren't big on over-exaggerated forms of affection or suffocating displays of comfort. They believed in isolation and independent love.

He wasn't wearing his usual hood, but the face paint remained in place. "Temari told me what you talked about."

"Ugh, look, if you start on this Neji crap with me too, I will cut off your head and bury in some dune around here for the worms to nibble on." The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them. She would have regretted them if not for the fact that when she was with Kankurou, comfort came easily, even when she was at her most annoyed.

His lip twitched. "I wasn't going to start with any Neji crap. But it's interesting to see how strongly you feel about it."

Tenten crossed her arms. "It pisses me off, okay. It's fine and dandy if you think I'm easy to read, but don't go around reading me _wrong_."

"Temari reads everybody wrong."

"Everybody in Konoha is under similar assumptions."

"Well, I never said than Konohans were intelligent, now did I?"

"_I'm_ a Konohan."

"An anomaly at that." He pointed out calmly.

"I think I should be angry that you're insulting the people of my village."

"Are you?"

She frowned, "Not really. I mean, I happen to think you're right."

There was silence between them. Tenten found that duly unusual since, between the two of them, silence was almost impossible. Silence like this especially. If there was silence, it was comfortable and assumed, not pregnant and expectant. She shuffled her feet and tried to think of something to say.

"It's not usual, okay?" Kankurou muttered somewhat embarrassed. He blushed when she turned her gaze upon her absolutely confused, "What we're doing. It's not…It's not usual for me."

"I…I don't understand."

He looked at her severely annoyed. "I'm only going to say this one more time so pay attention."

"Then say it clearly. You don't usual circle around the topic. Don't."

He looked as if he was trying to decide if he was annoyed or amused. Kankurou teased a strand of her hair in-between his thumb and his forefinger. "I like you. More than just as sparring amusement. I actually like you."

"I would hate if you disliked me." Tenten tried to ignore the shivers up and down her spine from his slight touches. "We aren't going to start getting serious, are we? I mean, I actually like you too, but I don't want to continue this relationship off on steroids and start proclaiming love from skies or something. I mean, really, cliché stuff is a bit too overpowering."

"Do I look like I would bother doing cliché stuff?"

"Just saying." Tenten linked her hand with his. His hand was sort of cold and clammy. She still wasn't sure she trusted his words, about any of it, regardless of whether or not he had never lied to her. She wanted to, but didn't want to believe if just yet. If anyone could make her believe, it would be him. "So…the sex thing, it's still ongoing right?"

He laughed. "You're an unusual chick."

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**A/N:** I gotta say, I rather like KankuTen. Don't ask me how it happened, but I'm growing extremely fond of the pairing. But, to be fair, next drabble/ficlet will be a NejiTen and then after that a LeeTen (Because really, I like that one better than NejiTen, despite the popularity of NejiTen)

Oh, and for my readers of **What it Takes to Win the Game**, I haven't given up on it really. I'm just...experiencing plot problems and lack of inspiration. But I will work hard to get the next chapter going -- _promise_.


	17. It Hurts, Even Though I Don't Want it To

**_It Hurts, Even Though I Don't Want it To _**

_#02 – Deep Fried Vegetables_

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**Summary: **She should be used to being let down. She should be used to the pain.

**Characters: **Tenten, mentions of Lee and mystery friends

**Word Count: **389

**Extra warning: **Not happy. _Rated K._

**A/N:** To start the New Year off right, updations!_  
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Tenten stared sullenly at her feet. The rain pounded on the windowpane and every now and then a lightning bolt flashing through the dark night sky illuminated the empty room.

Ilsa's mocking voice pounded in her head._ They're not going to come._

She should've known.

Her fists curled, Tenten tried her best to stomach the gnawing and overwhelming feel of anger bubbling inside of her. She was used to being sad. She was used to being pushed aside. She was used to being overlooked. What she was not used to was thinking that she mattered to somebody and having those very same sombodies show them that it wasn't really true.

She was a convenient friend.

The kind you spared with when you needed help with weapons.

The kind you joked with when there was nobody else around.

The kind you chatted with and shared comments with for fun.

The kind you asked for help, but would never be willing to help in return.

She was the kind of friend who wasn't a friend, and never was going to be a friend.

She should've known.

Tenten straightened up from her seat. She walked over to the counter where the food she'd prepared lay ready and waiting.

Who would want to eat deep fried vegetables she made anyway?

Tenten dumped all the contents in the garbage.

Nestled among plastic, the mixed edible concoctions blended into a sort of beautiful harmony. It would have been an interesting mix if she had been in the mood to appreciate beauty.

"_I want to practice my cooking. Would you…Would you mind terribly coming over to try it?" _

"_It is no problem!"_

"_Why not?"_

"_Of course!" _

"_Thanks, I appreciate it. It's really important to me."_

Lee had called and told her he could not due to some unforeseen circumstances. She'd believed him at the time. Now she wasn't so sure. She didn't have excuses for the other two. She knew they were in the village. They just didn't care.

Tenten wiped the counters quietly and removed all traces that she had been in the kitchen at all. She did all this in the dark, with only the company of the falling rain and flashes of lightning.

She slid off to her bedroom quietly and drifted off into a restless sleep.

She really should have known better.


	18. It's ALWAYS Worth A Shot

_**It's ALWAYS Worth A Shot**_

_21) "BAKA!" (Stupid, Idiot)_

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**Summary: **Giving up, is not something she should chose...Or so she decides.

**Characters: **Tenten, bits of Neji and Lee, Temari

**Word Count: **2,149

**Extra warning: **Some cursing. _Rated T._

**A/N:** I am happy, so I post to make others happy. Also, I like writing Temari and Tenten friendships alot, probably because they're my two favorite females.

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Tenten's eyes were screwed shut and she was muttering vehemently under her breath. The wind was whipping around her body, attacking – cutting actually, her skin in a very, very unpleasant manner.

There was Lee, yelling in the background as always. Something about winning and beating her opponent. Tenten bit her lower lip tightly trying to stomach the pain as the wind sliced her open, blood pooling from her cuts.

**xXxXx**

She threw the blade and it flew straight to the center of the mark she'd made on the tree. But it didn't hit where she wanted it to. It was a little too much to the side. A little too much.

"Nice." A slow voice commented.

Bile rose in Tenten's mouth. Nice. Nice. "Shut up."

The girl moved slightly, drifting closer to her line of vision, but farther away from her person. "You know your lot is looking for you."

Tenten didn't reply. She looked at the blade, sticking out from the oak tree. She never missed. Not anymore. She'd trained herself day and night not to miss. She never wanted to be the girl who missed. But she missed many other things. She failed many other things.

The sand-nin leant against a far tree and inclined her head, "Brunette, I don't normally butt into things that aren't my business, but those twits are worries senseless over you. Even the stoic one."

"Leave me alone." Tenten resisted the urge to add 'bitch' at the end.

"Not until they find you or you head back." She replied simply.

Tenten's fingers twitched slightly. Perhaps, she could claim it as momentary insanity, but the next thing she knew she threw a kunai aiming straight at the blonde's heart.

Temari sidestepped at the last minute. The blade missed her heart, but slit her left arm. The girl's green eyes narrowed as red blood pooled from the cut and stained her attire.

Tenten watched her.

She missed.

If she had thrown the blade perfectly, when Temari sidestepped it, the blade would have zoomed past where her body had been to the tree, the very center of the tree, behind her.

She'd missed.

"What is your damn problem, bitch?"

Tenten's teeth ached and a sour taste pooled in her mouth. She had a lot of problems. Problems with the exams. Problems with her teammates. Problems with herself. And a heap load of problems with that blonde in front of her. "I'm going to lose." The honesty of her statement surprised herself. It surprised her because it spoke of all her problems, of all her problems wrapped up in one.

Temari's lips curled into a feral growl, "Don't pull that shit on me. Self pity is for idiots. Giving up is for idiots. Don't make me think you're one."

"I'm blind!" Tenten snapped, finally losing it, "How the hell can I think I'll win?"

The blonde looked annoyed. "You're _half_-blind, twit. You're not completely blind. I saw you throw that kunai at the mark you made; it was almost perfect."

"But it wasn't!" She yelled, facing her full on. "It wasn't perfect. I can't see right. I'll _lose_."

"Are you telling me you're giving up?" Temari's voice was soft, harsh, sick.

"There's nothing to give up on."

**xXxXx**

She could still hear Lee's positive chants throughout the wind. When she strained her ears, she thought she could hear Neji as well. Of course, his voice was more of a stream of what he deemed 'facts' than any positive mantra. Tenten's knees buckled and she fell to the ground.

She couldn't see.

It was getting worse. This opponent was making it _worse_.

She should just give up.

She wasn't going to… she wasn't going to be able to win anything.

Not like this…

Tenten opened her mouth, the words ready to jump from her mouth, from her lips. Ready to give up. "I—"

"BAKA!" The voice wasn't Lee's. It certainly wasn't Neji's. And it definitively wasn't Gai's. It was too cruel, to disapproving, too furious, and certainly too feminine to be any of theirs. It was Temari.

**xXxXx**

Tenten didn't expect what came next.

Temari slugged her.

Tenten staggered back. Uncertain and shocked beyond compare. She'd never seen, or even heard, of the blonde Suna nin ever using her hands in a battle. Tenten moved her jaw to alleviate some of the pain. The blonde's eyes were sharp and angry.

"_Baka_." She snapped, making it sound like a swear word, like the worst word in existence. "There are many things that are beyond your control." She seethed taking a step closer. Almost unconsciously, Tenten stepped back as she came closer. "You can't control how they choose to pit you up against. You can't control what missions you're given. You can't control your parents, your birthplace, your teammates, and you certainly can't control chance!" She stepped closer. "The stupid jutsu that temporarily took away some of your sight is one of the things you cannot control." Another step. Now Tenten was up against a tree, and the blonde was still coming closer, "But choosing to give up or choosing to give it your all, is the one and only thing you have complete control over!"

Tenten shook. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

"What am I not supposed to understand?! Explain that to me! Is my life rainbows and butterflies compared to yours? Is it?!" Temari jabbed her with a finger. "Let me tell you what you don't understand. You can be the pathetic twit who looks at something difficult and gives up. Or you can be the woman who faces difficulty with a heavy heart, but a steady stride. I value retreat as much as the next person, but only when you have _tried_."

Tenten stared her straight in the eye. "You and I are very different persons."

Temari stepped back. She reached behind her back and slammed the familiar bulky iron fan, still shut, in the ground between them.

Tenten stared warily at the fan. Was the blonde looking for a fight?

Temari slowly unfurled it. Tenten recalled the design well. Temari unsheathed a kunai from somewhere underneath her skirt.

Tenten once more looked at the Suna-nin in confusion. "What are you doing?"

Before Tenten could discern the blonde's actions accurately, or even consider stopping her, Temari took the kunai in her hand and dug it through her fan three times horizontally. The sound it made as it cut into the material was terrible. And the result was disturbing.

Tenten gaped at the fan and then at the blonde. "What…What did…Why did…?"

Temari snapped the fan shut, albeit with a little difficult because of the cuts, and stared at her matter-of-factly. "I don't fight without my fan. The only person I've ever fought without my fan is Kankurou. Frankly, I'm not good at hand to hand combat."

"Then why the hell did you just destroy your fan!?" Tenten snapped.

"To prove a point, twit." Temari replied bossily. "My fan can be fixed only in Suna. Since it is mutilated, I cannot use it in the last phase of the Chuunin exams. As such, my loss is incrementally higher. Since I am not any good at hand-to-hand combat, this incident will clearly not work out in my favor. I could at this point choose to give up."

"You did it to yourself." Tenten said bitterly.

"And I can also fix it. I'm not good at hand-to-hand combat, so I'm not even gonna try that step. Instead, I'll learn something else."

"Like what?" Tenten snapped.

She shrugged. "Maybe I'll buy some little souvenir fans and give them a shot."

"Souvenir fans are not a weapon."

"The only weapon a shinobi needs is her determination and her mind. Everything else is a tool. And I mean everything else. Even a weakness."

"I hate you."

She shrugged. "I don't necessarily give a damn." She paused. "But if you give up, and continue this stupid tirade you're carrying, I'll have lost all respect for you."

**xXxXx**

"You give up?" Her opponent sneered. "Is that what you want to say? Come out and say it, little child."

Chances.

Fixing chances.

Tools.

Everything was a tool.

The only weapon was the mind.

Sight…

Sight wasn't needed.

Sight was a tool.

Weapons.

Everything was a tool.

Two minutes.

"No…I won't. In fact…I'm going to win."

"Win! Hah! You can't even see me well enough to throw a kunai at me!"

"I don't need to." She muttered voice cracking. "Everything is a tool."

Tenten smirked and pressed her palm firmly against the cold ice. She snaked her hand further down until she felt what she needed. Quick as she could she extracted a kunai from her pocket and dug it straight into the ice.

_Please work_, she prayed.

Her opponent laughed. "What was that supposed to do? Failure."

_Please work._

_Please._

Then she heard it.

Lee's tone had inched a tone closer in jubilation and a heady, throaty, almost cruel, feminine laugh resounded throughout the arena.

It _had_ worked.

"Give up already." Her opponent smirked.

"Not a chance." And Tenten dug another blade in the ice so that she could hang on when the platform broke apart.

The floor groaned loudly and it shook angrily. Her opponent faltered and fell smack to the floor which gave way right underneath her.

Then, just as Tenten knew would occur if the ice had indeed succeeded in cracking, some of the electric lanterns hanging above them, weakened by her opponent's wind tactics and the force of the ice crashing into the walls, started to fall. One heading straight for the water.

She hadn't noticed.

Tenten pulled two senbons from her pockets and hastily tied some fish wire as best as she could around them. She threw one at where she dearly hoped the lantern would be in the next second and held the other. If she succeeded, she would win the match and save the girl's life.

If she failed, she would still win the match.

Then senbon dug into the ice, Tenten wrapped the fishwire over her hand as much as she could to make the line as taut as she could praying as she did so, that the senbon had managed to go through the electric lantern at some point.

Then Tenten felt the fishwire slice into her hand cutting her open. Tenten pulled harder.

"STOP." The mediator of the match shouted.

Tenten breathed heavily, still clutching the fishwire. She tried to see past her own bluring vision and the fuzzy cloud of cold air, to see if the girl was still alive. There, hanging centimeters from the pool of water was the buzzing electric lantern, with the fishwire strung through the smallest hole. Her opponent was still in the water sputtering, but eyes warily watching the lantern.

The mediator lifted his hand and motioned to Tenten, "Winner."

Tenten winced. "Could you please pick up that damn lantern? I don't want to drop it and the wire is cutting my hand open!"

**xXxXx**

"Tenten!" Lee shouted suddenly. "There you are! We have been searching for you!"

Neji followed him quietly, arms barely moving.

Temari smirked. "I'll leave now, your highness." The haughty blonde made a show of pretending to bow. "For the record, brunette. I don't bother with those beneath me. So…stop demeaning yourself and fight back."

"Temari-san," Lee said, shock creeping into his voice, "what has occurred with your fan?"

"Oh, this?" Temari shrugged. "Problems. I'll have to use a different weapon. Not that it will make much a difference to me. I'll still win."

**xXxXx**

Tenten stared at the white bandages. "I didn't really win, you know."

Neji looked at her. "You would've killed her. That's a win."

"I didn't kill her."

"Only because you were nice enough to attempt to save her. The mediator saw that her death was imminent because she did not see the danger. Your actions were of no consequence."

Tenten stared at her hand.

"Well," Temari muttered walking into the room. "Everyone thought with your eyesight that you would miss the mark. So, if you wanna be picky, he actually called it before he really knew. Thus, already assuming the lantern had killed her. That of course, means you _didn't_ win."

"Thank you." Tenten muttered.

"But that is not true, Tenten!" Lee bounced enthusiastically, "That was amazing! We saw! It was brilliant!"

"Temari, what the hell do you want?"

The blonde's lips twitched upward. "I'm your opponent for the next round."

Tenten looked up. "Really?" She paused. "Is this where you tell me I should give up?"

"No. This is where I tell you, I'd really like to fight you again. But try not to kill me and I'll do the same. _Try_, I mean."

"Try." Tenten smirked. "I can try." Only she and Temari knew that the 'try' meant more than one thing at the moment. It would mean more than one thing for the rest of Tenten's life.


	19. Happy Birthday

**_Happy Birthday_**

_#36 – Fiesta  
_

* * *

**Summary: **What makes a happy birthday? Being with the one you love.

**Characters: **Tenten, Neji, mentions of Lee

**Word Count: **405

**Extra warning: **PG

**A/N:** For Tenten's birthday (and my own to a lesser extent). Neji/Ten undertones, but nothing extremely overt. _Happy March 9th to everybody!!!_

* * *

Tenten threw the kunai without a second thought.

The assailant dodged, or so she imagined, and appeared quite quickly right behind her. "If that was supposed to hit me, Tenten, I must say your aim has gotten sloppy."

His breath tickled her cheek softly.

"If I'd wanted it to hit you, Neji, it would have." Tenten opened her eyes slowly, and turned to look at her teammate. "What'd you want?"

Neji sat down beside her. "I'm supposed to find you to drag you to the surprise birthday party you ran away from."

"I miss the days when nobody knew my birthday."

"Liar." It was simple, clear, cool.

"Alright fine. But I miss the days when nobody thought to throw me a party." Tenten scowled. "Who throws a ninja a surprise birthday party anyhow?" Temari slouched further down, the back of her shirt riding up a little as she did so. She dug her foot into the ground. "Birthday's suck."

"Hn."

"Are you gonna drag me back?"

Neji looked at her briefly, "If I did, I would have to attend the party."

"I'll take that as a 'no'." Tenten scowled. "You know, I heard Lee refer to it as a 'fiesta'? I think all my body cringed when I heard that." Tenten leant her head against Neji's shoulder and watched the sky in happiness.

While Tenten was sure Neji cared enough about her to want to wish her a happy birthday, he had not done so. She was not upset that he hadn't – she just chalked it up to another peculiar quirk of Neji's persona. Neji was a hard person to get to know; Tenten was only grateful she'd learned as much as could about her stoic teammate. He was a great friend and she was lucky to have him.

Tenten's eyes flickered closed and she felt the hands of sleep begin to claw at her.

She was tired.

Tenten descended into an odd state of being half asleep, half awake. It was relaxing, unusual, and blissful.

She was minutely aware as Neji shifted lightly to the side and toyed with her bangs a bit. She was minutely aware of his slow breathing. She was also barely aware of the sound of his voice, as he huskily and quietly whispered, "Happy Birthday, Tenten."

It was a happy birthday.


End file.
